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May 22, 2010

Panzanella salad has been on my “To Make” list for quite some time and today I finally got around to checking it off the list. Panzanella is an Italian dish, traditionally prepared with day-old Tuscan bread, tomatoes, basil, olive oil and vinegar. This is the version I came up with and it’s delicious. Light, fresh and perfect for the summer.

(Yield: 4 servings)

Ingredients:

Olive oil for drizzling

4 oz day-old white bread, sliced 1” thick

2 medium vine-ripe tomatoes

2 cucumbers

1 bell pepper

1 tbsp chopped cilantro

Dressing:

1 tsp deli-style mustard

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

½ tsp salt + pepper

Drizzle the bread slices lightly with olive oil and place oil side down on a grill pan on medium-high heat. Drizzle the other side. Grill 3-4 minutes on each side, until grill marks appear and the bread is crispy. Set aside and let cool.

Chop the vegetables and cilantro and place into a bowl. Chop the cooled bread into 1” cubes and add to bowl. Whisk together all the dressing ingredients and pour dressing over salad. Toss and serve.

May 18, 2010

Cortelyou Road is a street in the Ditmas Park neighborhood of Brooklyn and due to the area’s recent gentrification, Cortelyou is now home to many fantastic bars and restaurants, one of which is The Farm on Adderley. The greatest thing about it is that it’s a mere 10-minute train ride from my neighborhood. Last night, the mister and I decided to take that journey for our dinner.

The restaurant is modern yet cozy, with stylish lighting and wooden paneling. The main seating area extends through the back into a patio, where there are more comfortably arranged tables. The food served at The Farm can be classified as new-American and is prepared using only fresh, locally-sourced ingredients. The prices are reasonable; the dinner menu’s appetizers are all under 10$ and the entrées are under $20, except the steak.

The rosemary-flavored bread was delicious and didn’t taste like anything one can buy in an average bakery. It was soft on the inside, slightly crunchy outside, and seasoned on top with sea salt. The olive oil it was served with was also infused with rosemary and was very fruity.

[In the midst of my battle with the ketchup bottle]

For my dinner, I ordered the Farm Burger with Cheddar. It was served on an English muffin, with homemade fries and pickle. It was a delicious and hearty burger (at least 1/3 lb of beef). The fries were homemade indeed but nothing to write home about. The homemade pickle was yummy, though.

Overall, dining at The Farm on Adderley was a pleasant experience but I do have one complaint – not enough carbs! Most of the entrées are served with vegetables, which is fine with some people, I suppose, but not pour moi! A dish without carbs is just not satisfying for me.

This is a great restaurant for health-conscious individuals. In fact, it’s even worth coming from Manhattan for. I’ll definitely be back for Sunday brunch one of these days though…mm, farm-fresh eggs and sausage…

I am...

A Ukrainian-born, New York City college student with an insatiable appetite for food and life. For me, every day is an epicurean quest.
If you have any comments or suggestions, I'd love to hear from you!